1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a farm machine comprising a body and a means for connecting the body to a motor vehicle. The connecting means is connected to the body by a joint with an axis directed upward which is able to be brought into two end positions, one of which is a work position, and into an intermediate position, by pivoting around the axis under the action of a maneuvering element.
2. Discussion of the Background
A mower comprising a body which extends to work crosswise to the direction of its movement or advance while it is operating or working is known in the prior art. The body comprises in particular a frame which during work rests on the ground by two working wheels each extending close to a respective outside end of the frame. Each working wheel is connected to the frame by a wheel arm which is itself connected to the frame by a joint of the pivot type with a geometric axis directed perpendicular to the direction of its advance while working. A first hydraulic cylinder is further provided between each wheel arm and the frame making it possible to make the wheel arm and the corresponding working wheel pivot relative to the frame around the geometric axis of the corresponding joint.
During transport, when the longitudinal axis of the body extends parallel to the direction of transport, the frame rests on the ground by two transport wheels which extend on both sides of the body and in the median part of the body. Each transport wheel is connected to the frame by a wheel arm which is itself connected to the frame by a joint of the pivot type with a geometric axis directed perpendicular to the direction of its advance while working. A second hydraulic cylinder is further provided between the two wheel arms which makes it possible to make the wheel arms and the transport wheels pivot around the geometric axes of the corresponding joints.
A tongue, which makes it possible to hitch the mower to a tractor, is connected to the body, in the median part of the body, by a joint of the pivot type with a geometric axis which is at least approximately vertical. The angular position of the tongue relative to the body ca be modified by making the tongue pivot around the axis. Putting into the desired angular position and maintaining in the latter are achieved by a third hydraulic cylinder connected, on the one hand, to the body and, on the other hand, to the tongue.
To bring the mower from a work position, in which the longitudinal axis of its body extends crosswise to the direction of its advance while working, into a transport position, in which the longitudinal axis of its body extends parallel to the direction of transport, this mower uses the following transformation process:
the first two cylinders lift the body of the machine which rests on the two working wheels to bring it into a position off the ground;
the second cylinder operates two transport wheels, different from the working wheels, which extend on both sides of the body of the machine and which rotate in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body of the machine;
the first two cylinders lift the two working wheels to make the body of the machine rest only on the two transport wheels; and
the third cylinder makes the hitching tongue pivot relative to the body of the machine, from a work position into the transport position.
In this known mower, it is provided that the hitching tongue can occupy two work positions and one transport position. One of the work positions as well as the transport position are end positions, while the other work position is an intermediate position. This intermediate position can be achieved only by trial and error. On this point, the use of the machine is therefore not very easy.
Mowers are also known in which the hitching tongue can occupy two work positions arranged at least approximately symmetrically relative to a vertical plane directed in the direction of its advance while working and passing through the axis of the joint connecting the hitching tongue to the body of the mower.
By applying this technique to the first mower, it is therefore necessary that the user be able, on the one hand, to easily and, on the other hand, to precisely find the intermediate position that the hitching tongue is to occupy.